


More than 10 seconds

by creativityobsessed



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: minor origins spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-18
Updated: 2016-03-17
Packaged: 2018-05-27 09:40:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6279364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/creativityobsessed/pseuds/creativityobsessed
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Adrien decides he needs to know who Ladybug is, no matter what, so he comes up with an idea to make her talk.</p>
            </blockquote>





	More than 10 seconds

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place after The Pharoah, but before Lady Wifi (assumes a slightly different chronology that release order).

Adrien sighs heavily. It’s only been a week since Alya discovered Ladybug’s history textbook, and the only thing he’s been able to think about is who Ladybug might be. Alya had been put off by the Ancient Egyptian “proof,” but he has something she doesn’t - inside knowledge of how their superpowers work. Well, okay, not for certain, but he’s been asking Plagg about  _ his _ history, and that explanation makes a lot more sense than one person who’s 5000 years old. Which means that this incarnation of Ladybug  _ is _ a collegienne, and if Alya’s right, she goes to their school.

 

“You okay, man?” Nino whispers, elbowing him in the side. He starts and realizes that most of the class is staring at him, as is the teacher. He smiles sheepishly.

 

“Sorry, Madame,” he apologizes, “I wasn’t paying attention.” She folds her arms.

 

“Make sure it doesn’t happen again, Adrien,” she admonishes. He nods, and does his best to keep his mind on task for the rest of the day. Even so it occasionally wanders to a list of all the girls here at school. Admittedly he doesn’t know many of them outside of his own class, because he’s new, so it’s a pretty short list.

 

When the bell finally rings, he packs up quickly and dashes out the door. “Dude-” Nino calls after him but he’s already gone. He grabs everything from his locker before going outside and “casually” waiting for Alya to come out. 

 

Alya is followed by her shadow, Marinette. It probably wouldn’t matter too much if Marinette heard what he wanted to ask Alya - she doesn’t seem to talk much - but it’s probably safer the fewer people that know he’s looking for Ladybug’s real identity. He doesn’t want anybody looking too close and figuring out  _ why _ or worse, that he’s Chat Noir. He debates for a minute, but then decides to speak to her anyway.

 

“Alya!” he calls after her and she and Marinette both stop, Marinette with an odd little squeak. “Hey, Alya, listen. Do you have a minute?”

 

“Sure,” she says.

 

“Um…” he pauses trying to figure out how to get Marinette to leave, “I need your help, but it might take a while, so…” he turns to Marinette who is staring at him vacantly. Alya elbows her. 

 

“Oh!” she exclaims, “Right, I’ll just-- I have, um, a thing… to do, that is, um, not here. Text me later, Alya!” Marinette waves and dashes away. Alya just chuckles at her.

 

“What do you need?” Alya asks, finally, and Adrien realizes he’s been staring. Marinette almost reminds him of someone…

 

“Right, yes, you run the Ladyblog, right?” he asks, grabbing her by the elbow and guiding her towards his limo. “I have a-- I’m curious, and I wondered if you had a couple hours to, you know, talk me through it?” He opens the door of the car and gestures for her to get in.

 

“Oh, uh, I guess,” she says with a smile, “Anything for a chance to talk about Ladybug.”

 

***

Three hours later it's pretty clear that Alya has nothing -- or at least nothing that she hasn't already posted to her blog. He sighs. How could he get Ladybug to change her mind?

 

“Do you think she has a secret identity?” he asks.

 

“I  _ did _ ,” Alya says quietly, “but if she really is 5000 years old, I dunno.”

 

“Yeah, but if she didn’t, then what? She pops out of thin air every time we need her?” Adrien tries not to smirk as he remembers the early days when she was still getting used to her powers. Definitely not a supernatural being.

 

“I don’t  _ know _ , Adrien. I wish I did, but I don’t see how-- If we could just  _ ask  _ her…” 

 

“She wouldn’t answer,” he interrupts.

 

“Ok, fine, if we could talk to her for more than 10 seconds! She only appears when she’s saving Paris, or when she has an official press conference or something, and then afterwards she always runs out really quickly with some really see-through excuse! It’s so frustrating!”

 

“What if…?” Adrien starts, and then trails off, thinking.

 

“What?” Alya asks.

 

“I have an idea,” Adrien says, smiling, “You know that dance next week? The big one? What if the famous Adrien Agreste invites Ladybug as his guest? As a-- a thank you for everything she’s done for the city.” 

 

Alya thinks for a moment. “Well, I don’t think she’d say yes, but you could try it. How are you going to ask, though? Take out several billboards?”

 

“No,” he says, “she wouldn’t like that, that's probably too big. It needs a personal touch. Let me think about it. Can I count on your help, though?”

 

“Oh yeah,” she says, “If you can convince her to talk for more than 10 seconds, I’m totally in.”


End file.
